Nurse navigator Amy Velasquez examines the difficulties oncology nurses face when assessing their patients’ emotions and non-verbal cues in the age of COVID-19 and mask wearing.

As a palliative care nurse, Amy Velasquez knows what it means to take care of patients and their families dealing with real pain and suffering. Here, Amy unravels her experience caring for her mom, who tested positive for COVID-19 in October 2020.

Within the oncology world, there is a new controversy thick in the air—"Ringing of the bell."

When some people envision palliative care, they see someone dying or having a dreadful chronic disease who is slowly dying. In actuality, we all die from something. In the past 4 years, I have learned what palliative care means to me. 

Early identification of the unwanted symptoms of cancer and of treatment helps to improve the quality of life of patients and increase their trust in the healthcare system.